Indian ODI skipper Mithali Raj has stipulated that the 2022 Women’s World Cup would be her swansong, i.e. the final activity of her career. The 38-year-old has said that the ODI World Cup scheduled to be held in March 2022 will be the last series of her international cricketing career.
She recently became the player to make the most number of appearances in Women’s One Day International while being the highest run-getter of the format. Having led her side to the world cup finals twice in her career (2005 & 2017), she looks forward to taking her team to a historic victory.
“It’s been 21 years of international cricket and I know 2022 is my swansong, The World Cup, and the last year is equal to the 20 years of my international cricket,” Raj said during a virtual book launch. (1971: The Beginning of India’s Cricketing Greatness’, published by Harper Collins and co-authored by Boria Majumdar and Gautam Bhattacharya)
Due to the COVID-19 Lockdown and Pandemic, women cricketers, especially Indian women cricketers did not receive many opportunities to play. Before the lockdown, they played the T20I world cup and went on to play the finals. But since the pandemic, they have only played the 4 matches Challenger Trophy and the South Africa series. But all the players, including Raj, have maintained their fitness regime very well.
🗨️”2022 World Cup will be my swansong,” revealed Indian Skipper Mithali Raj during the virtual launch of the book – 1971: The Beginning of India’s Cricketing Greatness’, co-authored by Boria Majumdar and Gautam Bhattacharya.#MithaliRaj @BoriaMajumdar pic.twitter.com/cAAgioQm6n
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) April 24, 2021
Speaking of keeping herself motivated, and to keep going even during the pandemic, she said- “I know we are in difficult times but it takes a lot out of me to keep working on my fitness. I am not getting any younger, in fact, I am getting older and I know the importance of fitness. The importance of being in a very good emotional and mental set-up, knowing that there will be very few hours before the World Cup.”
Team India is very much booked for the entire season as they’ll be playing England for a Test, an ODI series, and a T20I series, and later will be playing Australia and West Indies in the shorter formats of the game. Before the world cup, they’ll be a part of a tri-series tournament which would help them buckle up for the major event.
Talking about these tours, Raj said – “Every tour (from now on) is important for me as a batter as to how I am going to get the team to regroup and build a team for the World Cup. I am very optimistic looking at the girls and in the manner, they have been working with whatever facilities they have in these times and focus and enthusiasm that a series is coming up.”
Also, with the Indian legendary pacer Jhulan Goswami’s career nearing an end Raj added that the team would need to look at few players and prepare them for the world cup.
(Source: Press Trust of India)
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